Out in the world, leaders of all kinds of organizations are proposing a change that needs to be made to impact their performance—they want to change the culture. While I agree that this probably is the case I am left with a question.

The question is, ”What is the culture you have already?” The newly hired Head Football Coach that is coming on board to do something about a losing program knows that what you tell the media and therefore, all interested parties, is “change the culture.” So, what is the culture? How many players, coaches and administrators can actually tell you what it is?

If you don’t actually know the answer to that question, how do you know what actions to take? How effective are your changes going to be if the players don’t know where they are now? Isn’t that in the realm of building your house on quicksand?

How many times have we seen a succession of leaders fail to create a winner? Could it be that they have been moving the deck chairs around on the Titanic? Everyone wants to succeed. Isn’t it true that too many times we’re looking for the keys where we are used to finding them, rather than where they actually are?

Everything is created in words. What are the principles, i.e., values that we commit to, that we work on daily? The principles that create the kinds of relationships that foster great team play?
The principles that have us take care of each other as we get through the rough patches that are sure to be part of our journey? Simple words like integrity, trust, respect, straight talk, dignity, etc., etc. Need I say more?

Remember this, whatever you choose be clear that knowing a definition of a principle is insufficient. What does it look like in action? I need to see that so my daily practice is effective. What does your culture look like in action?

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